Directed by Nora Ephron and set in New York City in the late 1990s, You’ve Got Mail is a quintessential romantic comedy, especially for book lovers. Starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, the story follows two bookstore owners who become competitors in the professional field and supposedly have a rather unpleasant relationship in their personal lives. But beneath all the layers of modern struggles in the business world, the two have already fallen in love – anonymously/over the internet.

Kathleen Kelly, who owns a small independent bookstore for children, is thrown into competition when a big chain bookstore opens near her store. In real life, the man running this big chain bookstore, Joe Fox, and Kathleen are fierce competitors and adversaries, each fighting for their respective companies and bickering. Unbeknownst to either is that they are actually anonymous pen pals through email. Promising to keep their conversations anonymous and thus never revealing personal information, Kathleen and Joe are more than just good friends – they are falling in love. 

Illustrating one of the major themes of the new World Wide Web that came along in the 1990s, anonymity vs. reality, this movie allows for a dream-like discovery of true love despite worldly afflictions that come from complete freedom behind anonymity to be yourself and fall in love. The scenery and cinematography of Upper West Side Manhattan are absolutely stunning. As a New Yorker myself, films like this shed a whole new light and perspective on locations one used to consider relatively normal. For someone who plans to visit NYC and for New Yorkers, You’ve Got Mail is a must-watch movie for autumn romance-lovers. You’ve Got Mail is a wonderful films, and I highly recommend it.